I think we may have lost the plot of behaving normally in a shared space.

Between my two jobs and my Kindle Unlimited obsession, I spend a lot of time in local coffee shops and cafes, both behind the bar and amongst the crowd. I find that coffee shops are the perfect place to people watch, which is often the perfect background noise when I am working remotely or binge reading a silly romance novel in less than 24 hours. I don’t even bring my headphones with me anymore, that’s how much I enjoy just observing what is going on around me.

That being said, when you’re trying to get work done without headphones, sometimes the people around you can be very distracting. Often, this distraction can be very entertaining, but there have also been plenty of days where the people around me seem to have forgotten they are in public.

Coffee shops should be seen as a shared space, not your own personal living room. I can’t even count how many times I have been minding my own business at a coffee shop when I look over to find someone who has taken their shoes off, laid down on a couch, and started watching Facebook Reels out loud on their phone.

I am all for making comfort a priority and taking up space, but sometimes, enough is enough. So, here’s a few reminders for those who have forgotten their coffee shop etiquette:

• If you’re going to listen to something on your laptop or make a Facetime call on your phone, please wear headphones. The people around you really don’t need to hear the details or your latest family fight or a ranking of the top five best Adam Sandler movies of all time.
• There is no excuse to not clean up after yourself. Returning your dishes to the bin and throwing away your trash is the bare minimum. If you happen to accidentally make a mess, at least let someone who works there know rather than leave the employees to find whatever surprise you left behind later on.
• Kindness goes a long way, both to the baristas and the other customers utilizing the space. Respecting those around you is non-negotiable. That includes practicing your manners and not cramming into someone else’s space. If your favorite seat is taken, it’s time to find somewhere new to sit down and get to work.
• Pay attention to the coffee shop or cafe’s hours. You are more than welcome to utilize the space up until closing time, but once it hits that time, don’t make the baristas awkwardly wait around for you to leave so they can clean. You can always come back tomorrow, settle in your favorite corner, and be as productive as possible armed with a cappuccino and sweet treat.

I am currently writing this blog post while visiting a local coffee shop, and I am happy to report everyone is on their best behavior, my coffee is delicious, and I just got to overhear an entertaining story from the table next to me (I am not trying to eavesdrop, but they are talking very loudly).

Heading to a coffee shop to get work done reminds me of being in college and studying at the library. The only thing that would make my experience better would be if people started treating coffee shops like the library and followed the unwritten rules of etiquette.

What the craziest thing you’ve ever seen in a coffee shop? Let me know in the comments!